Pancakes from Your Fantasy

There’s something nostalgic and comforting about pancakes. Maybe it reminds you of your childhood breakfast so lovingly prepared (or paid for) by your mother. Maybe it’s the way the plush, buttery texture melts on your tongue, its syrup spiking up your blood sugar level. Maybe it’s the excitement that comes with the endlessness of its toppings – you can put anything on them to create your very own version of perfect pancakes.

Clinton St. Baking Company is a famous American restaurant lovingly welcomed by New Yorkers (particularly their pancakes) since opening in 2001. In fact, the pancakes here are voted the best in New York City (aka the City of Plagued by Pancake Overpopulation), and the restaurant itself has been voted New York’s No.1 Breakfast Spot by Lonely Planet. Its most recent branch, after popping up in Tokyo, Singapore, and Dubai, is located at Siam Paragon, Bangkok. Woo-hoo!

The ambience is straightforward and fuss-free (plain tables and chairs, simple diner-style décor, and homely vibe) so as to let the tempting aroma of butter take the lead. The best-selling dish is Blueberry Pancakes, which comes in New York (three pieces) and Short (two pieces) options.

As we sank our forks into the pancakes, we noticed that they were not the fluffy kind. Rather, they were nicely dense and tender with a juicy texture that does not feel dry in the mouth. The real star is the honey butter maple syrup that consists of –you’ve guessed it– honey, butter, and dark amber maple syrup sourced from Upstate New York. It’s way better than having to spread the chunk of butter on the pancakes, because we know it’s impossible to spread it evenly. When it’s melted into the syrup you get just the right amount of richness and sweetness in every bite.

In this day and age, with an abundance of shake-and-pour pancake mixes containing God knows what, good pancakes are hard to come by. We are thankful for this made-from-scratch sweet treat that shows us the true meaning of “comfort food” -and makes us temporarily forget what the word “calorie” refers to. By the way, this year’s Pancake Day falls on February 28, in case you need a reason (or excuse) to enjoy these buttery delights!